Title? duno sry
by Princess-Rachy
Summary: Tony and Gibbs find Ari unarmed... or is he? Tateness ppl!
1. Making it personal

This was the first fic I ever wrote. I wasn't going to post it at all but then thought "hey what the hell!". So here it is!

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS (wish I did… really I do)

Drawing his gun and creeping carefully into the house, Tony set his mind to finding and shooting this bastard. He'd pay for what he did to Kate – kidnapping her, making her suffer, making her afraid. He'd seen the look in her eyes when they'd rescued her. Like a part of her was somehow missing.

Tony edged around the doorframe, glancing around frantically, gun aimed high. He checked the room and, with no sign of Ari, waved Gibbs and the team inside too. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, his heart beating faster and faster with the rush. But this didn't faze Tony. He was too keen to find him. Shoot him.

Tony knew he was doing exactly what Gibbs told him not to – making it personal.

"Good, effective agents don't make it personal DiNozzo," he had said few hours before. "This is just another case, just another bad guy. Got it?" With his piercing blue eyes focused on his, Tony had nodded and muttered a "Yes Boss", but he didn't mean it.

Gibbs had made it personal. He had become obsessed with Ari and he knew it. If this was a game of 'do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do', then he wasn't playing. This was not "just another case" – this hurt Kate. This was not "just another bad guy" – this was Ari. And Tony was gonna make sure he paid for everything he'd done.

Agents bustled through the house checking all the rooms for any signs of the terrorist. Calls of "clear" came from various areas of the house. Tony's heart sank. They'd missed him. Just then an agent popped his head around a doorframe at the far end of the hallway.

"Uhh… I think you may want to come check this out," he aimed at Gibbs, who immediately rushed into the room. Tony followed, his mind racing at the possibilities of what he might have found.

The rug in the middle of the floor had been pulled back to reveal a door. Gibbs looked at Tony and Tony nodded in agreement as he withdrew his gun again. Gibbs counted a "1,2,3" and opened the hatch in a sudden movement. Stairs led down into a deep dark hole of uncertainty but Tony didn't hesitate and took the stairs two at a time with Gibbs following closely.

"Special Agen Gibbs," Ari beamed "What a surprise."

The two agents stood with their weapons aimed at the terrorist. Ari, unarmed, rose slowly from his chair.

Tony didn't' shoot him. Not because he didn't want to – oh no he wanted to alright – but because he had no reason to. Ari was surrounded and unarmed. There was no escape for him. Shooting Ari would have given him the easy way out. Besides, Gibbs hated this man even more than Tony did and yet Gibbs didn't shoot him on sight either. So Tony simply stood there beside Gibbs with his gun aimed at Ari, ready for anything.

"Ari you're not getting away this time," Gibbs told him. "Turn around and kneel on the floor with you're hands on your head."

Ari slowly began to do as he was told, but made a point of saying, "It doesn't matter anymore Agent Gibbs. I'll die before I tell you what you want to know." Gibbs cuffed the man and pulled his head back by his hair.

"And what would that be?" he glared at the smirking terrorist.

"Oh surely you didn't think I had no backup plan. You do underestimate me," Ari sneered.

The hairs on the back of Tony's neck stood on end and sweat prickled his brow. What was Ari talking about? They'd secured the missile-bomb he was planning, they'd got Kate back and now they'd captured Ari. They didn't know anything about any other plans.

Gibbs must have come to the same conclusion because he yelled at Ari "what are you planning? What's the next attack!" The terrorist grinned up at Gibbs, who couldn't control his frustration any longer and bashed the barrel of his gun into the back of his head so he fell unconscious.

The room fell completely silent as the two agents stood staring at the body sprawled on the floor. Gibbs opened his mouth to say something to Tony but Tony quickly hushed him and told him to listen.

A faint beeping could be heard if they strained their ears enough. A tiny glimpse of fear crossed Gibbs' face momentarily and he quietly stated "Bomb." Then, before Tony had a chance to panic, Gibbs lifted an unconscious Ari over his shoulder and yelled at Tony to run.

Tony didn't have to be told twice. He sprinted out of the tiny basement yelling at the agents still in the house to evacuate immediately. Gibbs was still behind him with Ari and running as fast as he could. They both headed out the door. They'd cleared about 20 meters before the bomb went off.

And my god it went off! The whole roof of the house lifted and seemed to hover for a moment before crashing down and being engulfed by a huge fireball. The sound was horrific and the sheer power of the blast sent Tony flying through the air to end up sprawled across the gravel. He didn't try and get up. Instead, he passed out.

Tateness in the next and final chapter I promise:)


	2. Realizations

When Tony started to come to he was extremely confused. His head was pounding like someone had a hammer and was slamming it behind his eyeballs over and over again. His whole body ached. His mouth was dry and everything was dark. Then he realized that was because he had his eyes closed. When he tried to open them it was the other extreme and the bright hospital lights blinded him. A hospital. Yes he knew he was in a hospital. The soft bed and the smell of disinfectant told him that.

Then he realized something else and was shocked he didn't notice sooner. There was a constant ringing in his ears. He couldn't hear much else except someone very far away was calling his name.

He tried to look around the room, his eyes getting used to the light, and could make out someone standing over him. He said the first thing that came to his lips.

"Kate."

"No sorry to disappoint you DiNozzo but Kate's gone to get lunch. You're stuck with me instead."

The voice sounded so far away and was hard to hear over the constant ringing in his ears, but he knew who it was.

"Oh, hey boss," he choked, trying not to sound disappointed. Then he fell back asleep.

When he woke again things were much clearer. The headache had subsided, the ringing had quieted and when he opened his eyes he could see Kate clearly. She was slumped in a chair next to him, staring into space. Her expression was one Tony had never seen her wear before – worry.

And she was holding his hand.

Tony thought he must have died and gone to heaven if Kate Todd was holding his hand. He gave it a squeeze, which actually hurt his muscles, and she spun to face him immediately.

"Tony!" she exclaimed excitedly. Then, as if realizing she may have seemed a little too happy to be considered normal, she relaxed a bit and simply said "You're awake."

"Careful Katie, someone might actually think you cared about me," he managed.

She grinned, closed her eyes and shook her head. "You wish DiNozzo."

"I know you care about me Kate." He gave her a trademark DiNozzo grin.

"Oh do you really Tony? And how do you know this?" she smirked.

"Well…" he began, "Nothing serious happened to me, yet you still waited here with me –"

"Nothing serious! Tony you narrowly escaped a massive bomb blast!" she interrupted.

"You didn't let me finish!" he continued, "Plus there's the fact that you just called it a 'massive bomb blast'." He rolled his eyes. "Plus you have chocolate in the corner of your mouth and you never eat junk food unless you're worried or upset…"

She frantically tried to wipe her mouth clean.

"…Plus," he smiled at her, "you're still holding my hand."

She stopped trying to wipe chocolate from her mouth and looked at their hands entwined and then into Tony's eyes. She didn't really know what to say. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. Tony took the opportunity to admit some things to her and get everything out in the open.

"When Ari had you I didn't sleep for three days Kate," Tony began. "Then even when we had you back I couldn't rest for fear that I'd lose you again. I can't lose you Kate." He paused to look at her shocked face. He'd be shocked he was saying this too if he wasn't so pumped with drugs. Hey he can blame it on the drugs if he wants. That's his story and he's sticking to it.

"So whether you care about me or not Kate, I care about you. A lot." Tony looked away, taking a sudden interest in a spot on the opposite wall, for fear he'd just made a complete fool of himself.

However, next thing he knew Kate had stood to lean over him, placing her hand on his jaw and moving it so he was facing her again. Looking into her beautiful brown eyes, Tony was overwhelmed with feelings he didn't even know the names of. She bent further and kissed him so gently, so softly, so delicately, that Tony squeezed her hand again, ignoring the pain.

He moved his free hand to her cheek and deepened the kiss. When they parted for air, Kate just smiled that dazzling smile that did wonders to Tony, as he gently rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

"It's about time," said a voice from across the room. Tony dropped his hand and they turned to see Gibbs standing in the doorway with two cups of coffee.

"B-Boss…" he stumbled.

"Glad to see you're awake DiNozzo… and back to you're old self already," he said straight-faced as he handed Kate a cup of coffee.

"Uhh Gibbs… This… We…" Kate struggled to find the words.

Gibbs grinned a rare grin and said "Relax Agent Todd. I didn't actually object to anything. Back later for a statement DiNozzo." And with that he left the room and two stunned agents in it.

P.S. When Gibbs left, he went to my mother's house where he mowed her lawn shirtless while she lay in the sun with a good book and a glass of wine. (She made me put that in – it's her ultimate fantasy. She actually calls Gibbs "Hubba-Hubba") rolls eyes

R&R! plz!


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